Lily
by HanaKoryuo
Summary: "It's a lily." The detective replies in a hazy tone, the expression of who's wondering if it's the right answer to her girlfriend's curiosity. [ Fluffy fem!lawlight inspired by white day ]


**Nda**

[ Alternative Universe - Light is not Kira ] [ Death Note is just a manga in this AU ] [ This may be considered as a second part of Monsters ]

The fanfiction is based on a drawing I made for White Day c: Hope you like it! Ja ne 3

**Lily**

The season of rebirth is coming. Followed by the last brisk winds, it melts the biting frosts off the sleeping nature and demands the awakening of beauty in a gentle whisper. Like a mother cradling their sons and daughters in the most heartbreaking of meanings, spring sings along with birds the melody of renewal, of the warmth of the first cry and of earth beneath naked limbs, of the brightest colours of life.

A single rosy petal basks in the sunlight, a blinding flare in the blue sky that twirls around like a ballerina and all the eyes looking up at the mystic dance are allowed to notice the prettiness but not to touch it. Unattainable, the petal is the owner of its own fate in its last fly: will it reach for the earth or will it crown a queen? None of these options will prevail that day since the petal has made its final decision and it lands, light as a feather, on the page of a notebook and there it rests like an unseen stain, a sign hindering the deeds of a killer pen.

Light pinches the flower between her fingers, picking it at eye level. Pale veining are visible beneath the layer, so transparent the rays of sunlight pass through and make Light squints; a second later the girl is forced to advert her gaze and in the vortex of blinding colours in her eyes she places the petal between the first green sprouts of spring. It's a pity the petal didn't survive enough to enjoy the early spring, but the cycle of life is unpredictable and cruel so as nature is. Light forgets about the petal as soon as she can focus again on her notebook, the pen ready to add new letters to the name she was writing before the interruption.

"Kadowaka Yukio. Shintaro Yuu." L's low voice breaks the silence, an index pressed thoughtfully to her bottom lip while still thinking about the right decision to take. Three rows of different pretty promising sweets are displayed on a blue tablecloth in front of her, she fumbles with the long messy hair framing her skinny profile until her fingertip probes the texture of a strawberry tart. The cream is frothy at the touch and tasty when she licks it off; a touch of zest melts in the essence of spring on the tongue, leaving a satisfied smile grazing at her features. Light wonders how just a tart can light up the detective, whose impassive look is appeased only by the most difficult cases.

"I added them yesterday." Yagami looks down at the lists of names on the notebook, finding the ones L mentioned. "I heard they will remain in jail pending trial and face maximum sentences of 25 to 40 years. Money won't save them this time. Serves them right." All the news broadcasts have reported the arrest of two ex Arms Corps of Engineers employees, charged with the fraud of taking kickbacks estimated at over $20 million and accused of taking bribes from contractors in exchange for being awarded lucrative government contracts, and of inflating invoices to the government and skimming the difference. A bribe lasting for more over than five years and probably involved more than the two men the police arrested thanks to L and Light.

"Morishima Taro is next." There's no hint of indecision in the firmness of Light's handwriting as black ink marks the paper, almost leaving a drop after the last kanji. L observes the action with a stick of mochi in one hand and the mouth dirty with crumbles of the last delicious tart. "Question mark." The detective points out in a flat tone as if careless of the duty of her girlfriend and the sudden flare of irritation in her amber eyes. "Why? All the clues lead to him. You agreed on that point as well."

Charcoal eyes roll in the act of pondering an answer, but Light knows well each minimum twitch in the detective's odd behaviour to foresee what's crossing her mind. "There's no more doubt he resorted to cosmetic surgery or prothesis to impersonate his last aliases, Murata Yusuke and Mizuki Yamomoto, it was in fact found the same composition of-"

"Murata Yusuka was found dead in his apartment last night." L interrupts, balancing his unsteady crouched position as her arms dangle uselessly over her bent knees. "Cause of death would appear to be asphyxia, but it's not confirmed yet."

"What? And why did you tell me just now?" The grip on the pen tightens and the hand holding the black notebook shivers with anger; the warmth of incoming spring is replaced by the cold temper tantrum that doesn't belong to the composed top-ranked student Yagami Light. The detective seems uncaring of her partner's reaction and the glance she casts after silently biting another mochi does only lit the fire in Light's eyes.

_Because I knew how you would react to the news. You're too emotionally involved, Light-kun._

Light huffs, adding a question mark besides Morishima Taro. "Don't dare lecture me about how I should lead an investigation without jumping on conclusions and I would like you to share the details about what's going on, detective _Ryuzaki_." Bitter sarcasm coats the alias used by L while investigating on cases; there are a lot of them and Light likes to tease her partner with all of them when they're alone, savouring the taste of falsity of each of them on the tip of her tongue and spilling each letter in kisses that have as only purpose to keep together the puzzle pieces of L's true identity. But no kiss follows the remark nor L expects it and patiently waits Light's bubble of fury to dry out in the warm spring air. Who witnessed the implication of an (almost) abuse shouldn't be involved in the case of children abuse but the thirst of justice is often a double-edged sword. Light wouldn't ever let L investigating alone on a case of a deranged killer still on the loose, a _monster_ who abused and killed innocent children wearing a different identity each time.

"Misora informed me a hour ago. The news shocked me too. After matching profiles of several clients of private cosmetic surgery facilities with the traces of DNA found on the victims, the certainty Morishima was the culprit has risen of 86%." A low fury roars in the back of L's colourless tone and it's all Light needs to settle down, eyes closed shut in the mute request of believing in the lie they (_she_) are not wrong, that new evidences will come out and that monster will pay for all the atrocities committed. "It brings us to believe he's got more than one accomplice or he wants us to believe it." Biting down his nails as she always does when the gears of her brain works faster than a normal human being, L lingers on the sweets awaiting to be tested. "I had no intention to hide the news from you in spite of your emotional involvement in the whole case, Light-kun. But, I prithee, don't let anger cloud your mind. I'll let you know further details as soon as Misora provides them."

Light bites down her bottom lip, giving a silent nod as her shadow obscures the criminal's name and the frustration growing heavy in her chest. Sometimes she envies her girlfriend's imperturbability and the cold rationality that doesn't let space to emotion; if she didn't know her well, probably more as much as Watari -the man close to a father figure as L herself explained once-, she would think the detective was incapable of feeling. Most likely she was clumsy at showing them off.

"Sweets help through bad times."

A chocolate flower is put between Yagami's thoughtful expression and the list of names on the notebook. She blinks, averting the eyes of her girlfriend who looks now so innocent while handing the treat out of mere kindness -it's indeed weird the suger-addicted L shares her treasure with someone, even if it's Light, and there must be at least a good reason behind it.

"Roasted dark chocolate with a touch of ginger. I'm certain you'll love it."

A bemused smile crosses the Japanese girl, taking the offer and observing carefully the sculptural abilities of the artist who carved a perfect lily in a block of chocolate. The fragrance is inviting as its beauty pleases the soul; it would be a pity to eat such an example of pure perfection. "A chocolate flower, L? What does this imply- _Oh_." The awareness of what day is hits Light like a bolt from the blue. _White Day_ is a day marked in Japan on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day. Commonly, Valentine's Day in countries which observe White Day is typically abided by women presenting chocolate gifts to their beloved ones as expression of love -typically a kind of confession. On White Day, the reverse happens: who receive a _honmei-choco_ (chocolate of love) on Valentine's Day is expected to return the favour by giving gift, which means accepting the feelings who confessed to you on Valentine's Day. So, if memory serves her right, it's March 14th today and L is giving her chocolate; Light giggles in mere amusement.

"Is there anything you should tell me, _Ryuzaki-kun_?" She teases, fingers grazing at good-smelling petals. Due to the sunny season and the warmth of her skin, the chocolate slightly melts below her fingertips; such a pity, Light thinks as she licks it off slowly, savouring the explosion of tastes just a single drop of chocolate contains.

"It's a lily." The detective replies in a hazy tone, the expression of who's wondering if it's the right answer to her girlfriend's curiosity. It's amusing seeing the woman dealing with the variety of twisted emotions humans can share and display off carelessly, as if it's a puzzle composed of billions of pieces shattered everywhere. L is sometimes slow at picking up the right one, though Light believe it's all an antics to prove she's better at coping with her inner humanity than people imagine.

"Which colour would it be if you had to chose one?" A lily, so. Did L do it on purpose, didn't she?

"A white one... I guess." Despite the fake thoughtfulness added between words, L is fast at responding and she slightly leans towards Light, shoulders brushing and faces breaths away. A soft blush adorns Yagami's cheeks, bangs covering her eyes but she does not speak because L is still speaking in a kind of prophecy voice and she prefers listening to her than to the loud pounding of her heart. "A yellow one would suit your vanity if you let me being sincere. Even so, each variety of colours encloses the meaning of the white lily, which often recurs as an emblem of candour, virginity and purity in the religious sphere."

"Is the greatest three detective in the world trying to flirt with me using her knowledge of flowers? I must admit it's unexpected of you, L." Light arches a brow, letting the comment about her vanity sinking in the dark brown bends of the flower in her hands.

"It's not flirting but reporting quotations that you may find useful one day. You need to know what impresses a human mind before simulating it." L cuts off as if stating the obvious. "You would find interesting that according to a legend in Christian religion, once the lilies were yellow. When the Virgin Mary bent down to pick one up, the flower changed colour to a pure white at her touch." A lithe pale finger brushes along the brown petals as if testing the magic; but it's just a legend, a beautiful tale for who wants to bath in the soothing relief the unpredictable may happen. "As often happens, mythology and religion merge and resemble each other. In Greek and Roman civilizations, the lily was associated with Hera, wife of Zeus, considered the protector of the nuptial thalamus, as Saint Anthony is the patron of marriage and procreation. Another legend concerning the colour of the flower tells that the goddess Hera, while nursing her son Hercules, poured some of the excess milk on the Earth. All the drops of milk turned into stars, forming the famous Milky Way, while those that fell on the ground gave birth to beautiful white lilies."

Surrendering to the fact the chocolate will melt anyway, Light gives it a try while listening to L's lecture. If just one drop stimulated her taste buds, a small bite reveals a mixture of new flavours, tenderly enclosed by a crispy dark chocolate, that sends shivers down her spine and heats up her lips. Ginger spiced up the taste and the combination of favours absolutely meets Light's taste; sourness and sweetness meet where her and L's different personalities wedged in perfectly.

There were times she would gladly punched the detective in the face -_and oh scuffles happened a lot between them_-, specially when she kept treating her like a child and hid things from her in the defence of her mental stability -_as if L's mannerism weren't an evidence of who was the complicated one between them_-, but there were times Light felt no one else would suit her like L did.

They were one.

"Speaking in your terms, the language of flowers may be useful to simulate a human mind." Light begins, plucking a petal off and offering it to the detective. "You compared me with a lily, a symbol of chastity, purity and majesty. Am I right?"

Licking the chocolate petal with guilty pleasure, L casts a look at her girlfriend and gives shape to the unuttered thoughts lingering between them. "Yes, _Her Majesty_."

The lily is also associated with other meanings, due both to the history and to the legends it is the protagonist, and so its stricture as a plant. The flower has a tall stem that rises straight, it doesn't bend but rather breaks. The characteristic crowns it as sign of pride, often referring to the nobility and high lineage of a family. Said symbolism has been brought back to the sentimental field: giving one or more lilies to your beloved one is like saying "_You're my queen_".

L isn't good at explaining her feelings, but she's learnt how to play with words and twists them in order to manipulate her own thoughts into them. Only the chosen ones are able to discern truth from falsity and surely Light is one of them; the only Queen able to stand fiercely by her throne -and she would probably make a better impression than the detective with a crown on the top of her head.

"I remind you of the dinner with Kitamura and the whole police division tomorrow night. My father included." The chocolate flower is already gone and the black notebook back in the school bag when they both stand up and head their ways towards home. "_So_, don't you dare wearing those dirty snickers and baggy sweaters of yours. Blue dress and heels. And make-up. No objections."

"I may agree on the blue dress, but I refuse heels. Boots are fine. And no make-up."

"Those worn-out boots? Hell no, Lawliet. Do you even know dress code? Didn't you lecture me about the importance of simulating a human mind just before? Dress code helps in said cases."

"We will buy new boots on the way home."

"You're impossible."

"No make-up."

"_Lawliet._"

"I will let Light-kun to wash my hair with all her expensive and good-smelling hair products _if she promises to not put make-up on me._"

"I don't like to repeat myself twice but you're really impossible."

"And I will give Light-kun a foot massage tonight. Do we have a deal?"

"Deal."

Fiercely straight, Light rather breaks than give in and agrees only on affordable compromises.

Just like a queen.


End file.
